A new record price for a Suffolk sheep was set at the breed’s Scottish area sale in Lanark when a Salopian ram lamb went under the hammer for 200,000gn.
Salopian Solid Gold from Shrewsbury breeder Phil Poole smashed the previous record of 90,000gn – set in 2004 – for the highest price paid for a Suffolk sheep.
“I knew we had a good lamb and we were looking forward to the sale,” said Mr Poole.
“Salopian has always invested in excellent bloodlines but we certainly didn’t expect to smash the society record by 220%.”
The record-breaking Solid Gold is by the 26,000gn Solwaybank Rock Solid and out of an Irongray Blag Magic-sired Stockton ewe, which has previously stood breed champion at the Royal Welsh Show as both a ewe lamb and a shearling ewe.
He sold in a two-way split to Cheshire breeder Charlie Boden for his Sportsmans flock at Mellor and Cumbria breeder Robert Jenkinson for his Dunfell flock, based near Penrith.
Mr Poole’s Salopian flock averaged £36,713 for seven sheep sold, with another Solwaybank Rock Solid son selling for 24,000gn.
He sold in a three-way split to Dumfriesshire breeders Iain and Judith Barbour for their Solwaybank flock, the Delves family in Powys for their Bridgeview flock, and Fife breeder Stewart Craft for his Lakeview flock at 3 Balgeddie Grove,Glenrothes.
Meanwhile, the next best price of 48,000gn was paid for the first ram lamb through the ring.
This was an entry from Northern Ireland breeder Mark Priestley’s Limestone flock, which set the record for the highest price paid for a Northern Irish-bred Suffolk ram.
By the 26,000gn Forkins McCoy and out of a dam by the 40,000gn Limestone Aston Martin, he sold to a consortium of Scottish buyers – the Stuarts for their Birness flock at Milltown of Birness, Ellon; Fife breeder Stewart Lathangie for his Pyeston flock at Pyeston Farm, Glenrothes; the Blacks for their Collessie flock at Newton of Collessie, Ladybank, Fife; and Newton Stewart breeder James Wallace for his Claycrop flock.
Other leading prices included 40,000gn twice.
First at this price, selling jointly to Northern Ireland breeder Dennis Taylor for his Ballynacannon flock and the Barbours for their Solwaybank flock, was a ram lamb by the 30,000gn Salopian Scuderia from Stewart Craft’s Lakeview flock.
The other, selling to Jed Sharp for his Worcestershire-based Hawshill flock, was a a ram lamb, by Strathbogie Ace, from Charlie Boden’s Sportsmans flock.
Next best at 30,000gn was a ram lamb from Fraserburgh breeder John Gibb’s Cairnton flock at Cairnton, Techmuiry.
By Cairnton Prince and out of a home-bred ewe, he sold in a three-way split, with John Gibb retaining a share. The other two buyers were fellow Fraserburgh breeder Jimmy Douglas for his Cairness flock and Irish breeder Darragh McMenamin for his Mullinvale flock.
The overall champion from the pre-sale show, as judged by Northern Ireland breeder Alastair Gault who runs the Forkins flock, sold for 18,000gn.
This was a ram lamb from the Stuart family’s Birness flock at Milltown of Birness, Ellon.
By the 30,000gn Salopian Scuderia, he sold in a three-way split to the judge, Mark Priestley for his Limestone flock, and Irish breeder Andrew Wilson for his Castleisle flock.
Suffolk Sheep Society chief executive, Robin McIlrath, hailed a successful sale and said a 92% clearance rate was achieved with 143 ram lambs selling to average £4,762 – this compares to an average of £2,993 for 161 ram lambs at last year’s sale.
